Centrifugal pendulum

Abstract

A centrifugal pendulum which is mountable rotatably around an axis of rotation, having a pendulum flange, a first pendulum mass and a second pendulum mass, where the first pendulum mass is coupled with the pendulum flange by means of a slotted guide, where the slotted guide is designed to guide the first pendulum mass along a first oscillation path in a first oscillating motion, where the second pendulum mass is coupled with the first pendulum mass by a coupling means where the coupling means is designed to guide the second pendulum mass along a second oscillation path in a second oscillating motion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A centrifugal pendulum, comprising:
 a pendulum flange including a first cutout; 
 an axis of rotation for the pendulum flange; 
 a first pendulum mass arranged to oscillate with respect to the pendulum flange and including first and second cutouts; 
 a second pendulum mass arranged to oscillate with respect to the pendulum flange and including a first cutout; 
 a first roller element:
 disposed within the first cutout of the pendulum flange; 
 disposed within the first cutout for the first pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the first cutout of the pendulum flange and the first cutout for the first pendulum mass; 
 
 a first roller-type coupling element:
 disposed in the second cutout for the first pendulum mass; 
 disposed in the first cutout for the second pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the second cutout for the first pendulum mass, wherein: 
 
 the first roller-type coupling element does not pass through the pendulum flange; and, 
 the second pendulum mass is in the shape of a continuous ring. 
 
     
     
       2. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including first and second cutouts; and, 
 a fourth pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including a first cutout, wherein:
 the first roller element is:
 disposed within the first cutout for the third pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the first cutout for the third pendulum mass; and, 
 
 the first roller-type coupling element is:
 disposed in the second cutout for the third pendulum mass; 
 disposed in the first cutout for the fourth pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the second cutout for the third pendulum mass. 
 
 
 
     
     
       3. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one first coupling element connecting the first and third pendulum masses; and, 
 at least one second coupling element connecting the second and fourth pendulum masses, wherein the at least one first and second coupling elements do not pass through the pendulum flange. 
 
     
     
       4. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first and third pendulum masses are axially disposed between the second and fourth pendulum masses; or, 
 the first and third pendulum masses and the pendulum flange are axially disposed between the second and fourth pendulum masses. 
 
     
     
       5. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a fifth pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including a first cutout; 
 a sixth pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including a first cutout; and, 
 a second roller element, wherein:
 the pendulum flange includes a second cutout; and, 
 the second roller element is:
 disposed within the second cutout of the pendulum flange; 
 disposed within the first cutout for the fifth pendulum mass; 
 disposed within the first cutout for the sixth pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the second cutout of the pendulum flange, the first cutout for the fifth pendulum mass, and the first cutout for the sixth pendulum mass. 
 
 
 
     
     
       6. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second roller-type coupling element, wherein:
 the second pendulum mass includes a second cutout; 
 the fourth pendulum mass includes a second cutout; 
 the fifth pendulum mass includes a second cutout; 
 the sixth pendulum mass includes a second cutout; 
 the second roller-type coupling element is:
 disposed within the second cutout for the second pendulum mass; 
 disposed within the second cutout for the fourth pendulum mass; 
 disposed within the second cutout for the fifth pendulum mass; 
 disposed within the second cutout for the sixth pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the respective second cutouts of the second, fourth, fifth and sixth pendulum masses; and, 
 
 the second roller-type coupling element does not pass through the pendulum flange. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the pendulum flange includes first and second sides; 
 the first and fourth pendulum masses are located on the first side of the pendulum flange; and, 
 the second and third pendulum masses are located on the second side of the pendulum flange. 
 
     
     
       8. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 1 , wherein the first roller-type coupling element is located radially outward of the pendulum flange. 
     
     
       9. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first pendulum mass is in the shape of an arc, which does not form a continuous ring. 
 
     
     
       10. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second pendulum mass is in the shape of a continuous ring, the centrifugal pendulum further comprising:
 third and fourth pendulum masses displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and located axially between the pendulum flange and the second pendulum mass. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the pendulum flange includes a second cutout; 
 the second pendulum mass includes a second cutout; 
 the third pendulum mass includes a first cutout; 
 the fourth pendulum mass includes a first cutout, the centrifugal pendulum further comprising:
 a second roller element:
 disposed within the second cutout of the pendulum flange; 
 disposed within the first cutout for the third pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the second cutout of the pendulum flange and the first cutout for the third pendulum mass; and, 
 
 a second roller-type coupling element:
 disposed in the first cutout for the fourth pendulum mass; 
 disposed in the second cutout for the second pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the second cutout for the second pendulum mass, wherein the second roller-type coupling element does not pass through the pendulum flange. 
 
 
 
     
     
       12. A centrifugal pendulum, comprising:
 a pendulum flange including a first cutout; 
 an axis of rotation for the pendulum flange; 
 a first pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including first and second cutouts; 
 a second pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including first and second cutouts; 
 a third pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including a first cutout; 
 a first roller element:
 disposed within the first cutout of the pendulum flange; 
 disposed within the first cutout for the first pendulum mass; 
 disposed within the first cutout for the second pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the first cutout of the pendulum flange, the first cutout for the first pendulum mass, and the first cutout for the second pendulum mass; and, 
 
 a first roller-type coupling element:
 disposed in the second cutout for the first pendulum mass; 
 disposed in the second cutout for the second pendulum mass; 
 disposed in the first cutout for the third pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the second cutout for the first pendulum mass and the first cutout for the third pendulum mass, wherein the first roller-type coupling element does not pass through the pendulum flange. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a fourth pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including a first cutout, wherein the first roller-type coupling element is:
 disposed in the first cutout for the fourth pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the first cutout for the fourth pendulum mass. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first pendulum mass is disposed, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, between the pendulum flange and the third pendulum mass; and, 
 the second pendulum mass is disposed, in the direction, between the pendulum flange and the fourth pendulum mass. 
 
     
     
       15. The centrifugal pendulum of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a fifth pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including a cutout; 
 a sixth pendulum mass displaceable with respect to the pendulum flange and including a cutout; and, 
 a second roller element, wherein:
 the pendulum flange includes a second cutout; and, 
 the second roller element is:
 disposed within the second cutout of the pendulum flange; 
 disposed within the cutout for the fifth pendulum mass; 
 disposed within the cutout for the sixth pendulum mass; and, 
 rollable within the second cutout of the pendulum flange, the cutout for the fifth pendulum mass, and the cutout for the sixth pendulum mass.